Financial & Banking

The Romanian capital market had a very good year, and if the stock exchange would be a barometer, we can even say that the Romanian economy whirred in 2017, Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) head Lucian Anghel told a press conference."If the stock exchange were a barometer for the economy, then we can even say that the Romanian economy whirred in 2019, with a 19 per cent yield recorded (the BET-TR index - editor's note) in 2017, which is not little. This is above the ...

The banks relaxed this autumn the standards for creditation for the loans destined to purchase of houses and land offered to the population and tightened the conditions for the consumption loans, according to the BNR surveys published on Monday. For the winter of 2017, the banks estimate the constance of the standards for creditation in the case of mortgage loans, while for the consumption loans a tightening of the conditions for the latter, the quoted document ...

Total value of arrears granted in lei to both the population and companies, as recorded in November 2017, accounted for 5.46 billion lei, down 0.84 per cent compared with October 2017, while arrears for loans granted in foreign currency decreased by 9.47 per cent, down to 6.25 billion lei (equivalent), according to a report of the National Bank of Romania (NBR).The total value of loans granted in lei reached 145.89 billion lei in November (showing an increase of ...

The non-governmental credit balance granted by credit institutions gained 0.9 per cent in November against October, up to 235.63 billions lei, according to a release of the National Bank of Romania (BNR)."The credit in lei increases 1.4 per cent (0.7 per cent in real terms), while the credit in foreign currency expressed in lei increased 0.2 per cent (expressed in euro, the credit in foreign current went down 0.7 per cent). On November 30 2017, non-governmental ...

The non-governmental clients' deposits have grown in November 2017 by 0.7pct as compared to October 2017, up to RON 293.23 billion (rd EUR 63.5 billion), informs a press release of the National Bank of Romania (BNR)."The RON deposits of the population's households decreased by 0.2pct up to RON 107.983 billion. At 30 November 2017, the deposits in the national currency (RON) of the population's households recorded an increase by 7.9pct (4.5 in real terms) against ...

The number of the Investors Guarantee Funds (FGI)'s members on the share market was decreasing at the end of the third quarter of 2017, four of which being in the withdrawal procedure, says a report of the FGI."At the end of September 2017, the total offset investment was worth RON 1.729 billion (up by 1.75pct as compared to Q2 2017), and the fund comprised 40 m,embers, out of which 4 members in procedure of withdrawal. Hence, the average offset investment's value ...

The value of Romanian banks' outstanding loans to the non-government sector grew 6.8% year-on-year to 235.6 billion lei ($60.1 billion/50.7 billion euro) in November, following a 6.7% increase in October, the central bank, BNR, said on Wednesday quoted by seenews.com.
Private lending in lei increased 16.1% on the year to 145.6 billion lei in November, following a rise of 16.5% in October, BNR said in a statement.
Private lending ...

A recent global survey conducted by KPMG shows that financial institutions perceive fintech as being the main source of disruption in the sectors in which they are active (as seen by 57% of respondents, compared to 51% for regulatory changes and 46% who see new business models as the main disruptor). According to the survey, banks, insurers and asset management companies believe technologies, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and the Internet of things, will ...

The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) said on Wednesday it has provided 69.5 million lei ($17.8 million/15 million euro) to Agricover Credit IFN, a Romanian financial institution specialised in financing the agricultural sector, seenews.com informs.
The financing will offer Romanian farmers improved access to the funding they need to improve productivity, generate added value, and create jobs, BSTDB said in a press ...

An increase of up to 3% of interest rates for lei could significantly affect the activity of 57% of companies, when the high level of taxes, the unpredictability of fiscal environment and competition remain the most important problems faced by companies, according to the opinion poll on access to financing of non financial companies in Romania, published by the National Bank of Romania (BNR).
Robor index for three months, according to which interest ...

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing up to RON 114 million (EUR 25 million equivalent) to finance the acquisition of 105 new buses by the Romanian city of Brasov, that are going to be used by more than 250,000 people, as a press release informs, romaniajournal.ro reports.
The diesel buses will meet EURO-6 emission criteria and their use will generate significant CO2 and toxic emissions savings. As low-floor carriages ...

Bucharest real estate agency Cityland, specialised in new residential developments, will soon start to accept payments in Bitcoin for their properties. The agency claims that the growing popularity of the virtual coin among potential investors led them to the decision, according ...

The tribunal Bucuresti – section VI admitted on Thursday the request regarding the fusion through absorption between Bucharest Stock Exchange - BVB as absorbing company and Sibex – Sibiu Stock Exchange as absorbed company and disposed the registration in the Trade Register the mentions regarding the fusion, announced BVB.
‘This approval allows the two companies that in the future period finalised all the procedure and operational ...

Credit Europe Bank had the most deviations and breaches of banking regulations in 2017, romaniajournal.ro reads. For all these irregularities the financial institution was fined RON 20,000, following the Order of the First Deputy Governor of National Bank of Romania (BNR).
Throughout the year 2017, the central bank has fined only 5 banks, compared to 55 in 2016. The other fined banks are: Bancpost (RON 25,000); Garanti Bank (written ...

The Romanian capital market is in full swing with seven bond issuances going on this year, Alin Barbu Interim General Manager of the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) stated according to a press release of ING Bank sent on Thursday. "Only this year, BVB carried out four public offering of shares which exceeded 270 million euro and seven bond issuances, both in lei, the national currency and in euro, amounting to the equivalent of 820 million euro. The Romanian ...

On the backdrop of a stable economic context in the region and with growing macroeconomic indicators, Romania has won the deal doers’ trust now becoming a core market for private equity funds next to Poland, according to the Deloitte Central Europe Private Equity Confidence Survey quoted by business-review.eu.
“We have seen a significant increase in the activities of the private equities in Romania, following successful rounds of fund ...

* Ilan Laufer, Romanian Minister of Business, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship Environment, says that Bitcoin is a challenge for the banking system and regulation might be a solution, cryptovest.com reads.
Ilan Laufer, Romania’s Business, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship Environment Minister, says that while he believes in cryptocurrencies, he also believes that this space should be regulated in the country.
“I ...

The Treasury Programme of government bonds isssuance for the population is due to set off in 2018, following the completion of the procedural and operational framework, reads a press release of the Public Finance Ministry (MFP).The new programme provides the possibility for individuals who own treasury bonds turned into deposits at the State Treasury to use the amounts corresponding to their redemption in view of subscription in the Treasury ...

Intesa Sanpaolo has finalized the migration for the transfer of certain assets and certain liabilities from the former Romanian branch of Veneto Banca, including its 19-agencies network, to the newly-established Intesa Sanpaolo SPA Torino Bucharest Branch.
As a result of the transfer, Intesa Sanpaolo SPA Torino Bucharest Branch has acquired a portfolio of loans and all the deposits of Veneto Banca in Romania. Furthermore, the employees of Veneto Banca ...

Citi announced the appointment of Ivan Vrhel as general director of Citi Romania, keeping at the same time the current responsibilities as director of Citi Commercial Bank division for SMEs.
In his new role, Vrhel will be responsible for the elaboration and implementation of local strategy of the bank, as well as for an efficient management of risks and controls. Also he will coordinate the relation of the banks with corporate clients, public ...